The current invention relates to a missile for combating stationary and/or moving targets consisting of a seeker head, an effective charge that is ranged behind the seeker head in the direction of flight, a doer, such as a solid fuel booster with lateral outlet nozzles, that is arranged behind the effective charge in the direction of flight, and a guiding section that is arranged behind the thruster in the direction of flight. The guiding section has controllable airfoils, such as lateral and/or tall fins, and a guiding device as well as a cruise engine that is arranged on the tail.
A missile of this kind is known in the art, for example, from DE 196 26 075 C1. The known missile is depicted in a cross section in FIG. 2. In the direction of travel it consists of a seeker head 1, a war head 2, a thruster 3 with lateral jet nozzles 32, a central module 4 with a position control system for the airfoils 42, a cruise engine 5 with a gas conduit tube 52, and a launch thruster 6. The characterizing feature of this known missile is the central module with a position control system for folding out or flapping out the airfoils; a first thruster is arranged in a longitudinal direction before central module while a second thruster is arranged in longitudinal direction behind the central module, thereby allowing an adjustment of the thrust profiles and/or energy distribution to a special mission profile, in particular by way of a chronologically clocked ignition of the thrusters.
Also known in the art are a number of constructive realizations of flappable or foldable airfoils which considerably reduce the space that is needed for transporting the missile. For example, from DE 38 38 737 C2 a missile is known in the art in which, using a traction piece, a glide wing holder can be swung from a transport position into a flight position. On the other hand, from DE 39 18 244 C2 we know a missile that uses a lamella-shaped fan as wing.
In addition, the practice of regulating the aerodynamics of missiles by means of a spoiler is known in the art and disclosed, for instance, in DE 42 39 589 A1.
The disadvantageous aspect of the state of the art is, however, that a principal distinction is made between missiles that are suitable for carrying personnel and missiles that can be launched from a weapon""s platform. This differentiation is based primarily on the different productive powers, in particular the different firing ranges of the respective guided missiles.
The subject-matter of the present invention is therefore to develop the missile type further, in particular with the purpose in mind of making the missile usable for more varied applications; in particular, on the one hand, as a personnel carrier and, on the other hand, as a missile with increased firing range that can be launched from a weapon""s platform. This will result in a higher level of flexibility at the combat site as well as considerable savings.
This objective is achieved by detachably connecting the cruise engine to the guiding section, for example by way of a first quick-acting closure, such as a bayonet closure etc., that can be operated manually; and at least one auxiliary thruster can be integrated between the guiding section and the cruise engine, if required, using at least a second quick-acting closure, such as a bayonet closure etc., that can be operated manually.
It is preferable according to the invention if the airfoils of the guiding section are realized at least in part as flappable, swingable, windable and/or displaceable for the purpose of influencing the center of pressure location and/or the aerodynamic forces and moments, optionally, adjusting to different mission requirements, when installing or removing at least one center-of-gravity-modifying auxiliary thruster, and/or the trimming ascending force properties.
According to the invention is it proposed that the airfoils of the guiding section are at least in part adjustable, in particular axially displaceable, when inserting the auxiliary thruster, specifically for the purpose of adjusting the center of pressure of the guiding device to the missile""s point of gravity that has axially shifted due to the installation of the auxiliary thruster.
It is also preferred that the adjustment of the airfoils occurs at least in part automatically when the auxiliary thruster is installed.
The adjustment can be accomplished by way of mechanical coupling of the guiding section containing the airfoils via mechanical identification of the second quick-acting closure with the auxiliary thruster [Note: inconsistent verb inflection in the original].
A characterizing feature of another preferred embodied example of the invention provides that the effective charge is housed as a replaceable effective charge cartridge inside an effective charge compartment. Preferably, the effective charge compartment is opened and closed manually.
It can also be envisioned in this context that for the purpose of the correction of the center of gravity the effective charge cartridge can at least in part be axially shifted to the rear, at the latest after the thruster that is arranged behind the effective charge in the direction of travel is completely burned up.
Moreover, the invention also envisions that the effective charge cartridge can be shifted into the space originally intended for the solid fuel of the solid fuel booster upon and/or after the solid fuel in the solid fuel booster is burned up.
A launch thruster can be arranged in the direction of fight on the tail end of the cruise engine.
Thus, the invention is based on the surprising realization that an auxiliary thruster, even if only for a short time and even if adjusted to the respective combat situation in the field, can easily be installed or removed from between a guiding section and a cruise engine in order to obtain a missile that can either be launched from a platform or that is suitable to carry personnel.
It is particularly advantageous if the shift of the center of gravity, which occurs depending on whether or not the auxiliary thruster is integrated, is compensated for by the displacement of the airfoils according to the invention.
Another preferred embodied example of the invention envisions that, in terms of making adjustments to the desired mission, a quick replacement of the respective effective charge cartridge is possible in the field, because the effective charge cartridge is positioned, quickly replaceable, inside an effective charge compartment.
According to the invention the exact position of the effective charge cartridge can also be utilized to adjust the point of gravity.